'Cholo' Simeone throws 'balls' away with João Félix

Will João Félix have a second chance to succeed at Atlético de Madrid? At the moment, that is not very clear, but what is evident is that he is at least getting opportunities to play in the 2024/25 pre-season with the 'colchoneros'. In fact, the Portuguese player already had the chance to play around 45 minutes in the 'rojiblancos' match against Getafe CF (1-3) and even scored a goal.

At this point, Diego Pablo Simeone gave the opportunity to the player from Viseu in the match between the Madrid team and Kitchee SC (1-6) in Hong Kong, where the forward was on the field for 46'. Although he didn't score this time, at least he was able to accumulate more playing time, which has opened up new scenarios about his future.

Even 'Cholo' Simeone has hinted at this, as in his latest public appearance, he didn't want to commit too much on João Félix's case, although he did mention if he currently considers him in his plans. "He had a good game in those 45 minutes he played against Getafe. He is a player of Atlético de Madrid and as long as he is here, we will value him according to his work, as we do with all the players in the team", commented the Argentine.

Is João Félix's return to FC Barcelona moving further away?

Now we will have to see how this situation unfolds, as both Atlético and the Portuguese had the intention of definitively breaking their relationship before he joined the club's training sessions, due to the apparent tension between them. However, the imposed exit conditions make few teams seriously consider a transfer for the forward, for which the 'rojiblancos' are asking for an amount around 50-60 million euros, in addition to the buying team having to assume the high wages that the attacking midfielder receives.

This has been one of the main obstacles for the Portuguese to continue his career at FC Barcelona, a team that apparently values João Félix as a good alternative in the attacking front, but only if he arrives under certain conditions, such as a loan where the player agrees to reduce his salary demands. Therefore, it remains to be seen how Atlético can handle the future of the Portuguese, who has also sparked interest from SL Benfica and more recently from Aston Villa, a team that, as reported in 'SPORT', is working hard to match the demands of the 'colchoneros' and the player, possibly making him the highest-paid player in their squad.